#ytmi

Fred Jones + “Dinkley” in MYSTERY INCORPORATED “Welcome to Coolsville”

(+Bonus) SUPPORT FOR EPISODE 2

Notes:

Love that Fred plays baseball!!!. Him having his baseball bat by the bed and all his little baseball trophies is a nice touch.

Looks like Daphne is a cheerleader in this one, as well as having won a few “Miss Coolsville” pageants.

Daphne’s initial outfit is perfect. I love the preppy look and the color pallet looks amazing. The greens and purples are just the right shade that nothing clashes.

The angle of Daphne being a rich girl with a lot of pressure on her is nice. I see this show taking influences from APN and SDMI (as well as the live action movies) which makes sense as those are both based within the town itself (not so much the 2002 movie or Curse of the Lake Monster but still). I’m feeling like we’ll definitely have Daphne push back against her status/pressures. I also like that they went with the Blake’s being old money and so the name/family itself holds weight.

Shaggy’s room looks pretty good (Scooby looks AMAZING!! I love him (Thor) sm!!!). It’s artfully messy which is nice. I also like leaning into Shaggy being a little more lackadaisical, with some tardies. I feel he’s definitely the type to run a little late for things. One thing I will say is I feel like the show might be edging toward making Shaggy a little rebellious which is idk. He definitely goes against the grain but I always thought of it more as an “I’m just gonna be me/do my own thing” kinda thing and less of a “I want to break the rules/be different” but maybe my vibes are off and that’s not the intention. We’ll see.

Having Shaggy’s dad be sheriff is nice. I feel like that’s a pretty common trope across teen mystery shows for practical reasons so that’s fine with me, plus it fits with his dad being a policeman in APN.

I don’t know how necessary having Fred be bullied by a group of random jocks is but again, it’s common trope. I will say it feels a little funny to have them not only bully someone immediately after their parents died but also bully them about that??? 😂 uh??

Velma’s first outfit also looks great! Right away, I think the actress (Dayeanne Hutton) might be taking some cues from Cardellini’s portrayal (that’s just my conjecture tho). Having her mom be the owner of a bookstore is cute and will probably be plot convenient later on so. Also her having a dad who’s passed on (and a mom who’s clearly struggling with that) is a nice bit of characterization. I thought Hutton really sold the “we both miss you, dad” line so it didn’t feel super expository.

I don’t love the Riverdale-style objectification of teens. The show is only ten minutes in and already lingered pretty long on Fred being either shirtless/sweaty.

Given the school’s colors, the mascot was definitely in poor taste. Some of the posters hanging up were … yeah 😕. If they’re going to have Fred be in his letterman’s or in school colors often then they should have gone with blue, I think. They may have wanted to distinguish him from the bullies but then I think the mascot would have worked better and matched Fred’s pallet. Being the blue devils would have worked better I think. The school colors do match the Cartoon Network movies pretty close (I think they were red/yellow there while here they seems to be red/white). I’m also partial to alliteration (Coolsville Cougars just sounded so cute 🥺).

Fred’s outfit (blue plaid, white t-shirt, orange backpack) is gorgeous/genius/I love it so much!!! The outfits in this have consistently been on it. Well done wardrobe. Big kudos!! Also love the orange of his notebook and binder as well. Utilize those color pallets!! We love to see it!!

Mmm, Daphne and Fred definitely have history/attraction between them. I’m wondering if, like in SDMI, Fred will be seen as not good enough for Daphne, especially as she (aka her MOM) is very concerned with appearances.

Velma having to steel herself to talk to Fred is so cute (and I like that they’re able to connect over mutual losses). Fred remembering her from geometry is really sweet (and I love the “you’re the one who sat in the back so no one could cheat off your papers” lol). I also like Fred apologizing to her for snapping. I’m so excited to see the rest of the Gang interact because I already feel the chemistry between Fred and Velma. I want them to be friends right now!!! So bad!!!

Okay the “fascinating subject” line Velma/Hutton delivered, perfect inflection on that 10/10 sounds like Velma to a T. I don’t know exactly who Hutton’s taking her inspiration from but I can definitely hear a lot of the former actresses for Velma in her.

Fred calling her “Dinkley” I like that

“My mistress science,” definitely feels like a reference to Velma’s line in Monsters Unleashed about mysteries being her mistress.

oooooooOOOOooo Velma and Fred’s parents being killed by the same mysterious force?? The plot thickens 🤔 I also really like how Fred’s actor (Dade Elza) delivered his line about Velma not being an expert of the grief Fred is feeling.

So far all of Velma’s jinkies have felt really natural. I’m so 🥹

Okay am I crazy is is Velma’s “I panicked” literally Nicole Jaffe??

I kinda wish Velma had been the one to see the demon and not her mom…now that would have been a twist…could even stick with her being more interested in science if you wanted by having her try to convince herself it was nothing only for Fred’s matching vision to make her reconsider.

Fred’s cute little “you’re gonna put that big brain of yours to use to help me solve this thing.” I’m sold on him, very much.

Also forgot to mention that this show continued to place Coolsville in OH. I’m cool with that, at this point that’s the one state that there’s *really* precedent for (tho I’m partial to CA 😜)

Is Fred also wearing orange shoes??!! 🥺

Daphne’s crew with headbands vs Ophelia’s crew with hair clips

Jonathan Jacobo reference HELLO!!! Mmmm instead of being the “Pterodactyl Ghost” tho, he’s a witness to the “Pterodactyl Demon.” Maybe he still dressed up as the Pterodactyl Ghost tho when he went on his crime spree??

Ben Ravencroft reference. Mmmm but the demon in “his movie” is Asmodeus (the demon from Curse of the 13th Ghost).

Fred appealing to Velma in exactly the way she’ll cave to. Love how this show is demonstrating his intelligence so far (as well as possibly foreshadowing his leadership skills) and how well he’ll grow to know the Gang.

Shaggy in a white van. Assuming that will end up being the Mystery Machine!!

I was wondering how they were going to have Scooby “communicate.” Looks like so far they’re having Shaggy just be able to tell what he’s thinking. I’m okay with that (and probably prefer that to him speaking through Scooby a la Kristoff for Sven) but it’ll be interesting to see how that works with the rest of the Gang. I don’t know if I‘d like if Shaggy was the only one who could “understand” him, yk?

JOY JUICE??? As in Lotsa Luck Joy Juice. Okay references for this ep get an A+. That was pretty good.

Talking to Scooby calms Shaggy down 🥺🥺🥺

“Okay, pumpkin.” 😂 ?????

Scooby’s just a gentle little guy. I do think once Shaggy got hit, Scooby could have let out a little growl or smth.

Okay so far Daphne Shaggy and Velma have all uttered their catchphrases. :)

No, no, hold up. Why is Daphne mad about the plan because it might blow back at her? Could they not have had her be outraged that they’re planning on cheating? Or that they don’t think she can win on her own and that she needs to resort to ruining the competition?

OKAY THE BOOK HAVING THE CHEST OF DEMOMS SIGIL ON IT IS SO SICK (it’s not exact but I feel like it’s definitely in imitation of it/Asmodeus!!)

“Hey, Velm” 🥹 Already evolved from Dinkley straight to the more affectionate nicknames

Fred seeing right through Velma, acknowledging she seems afraid of the unknown. Okay, I’m listening.

“I’m beginning to come around to the idea.” Want to kiss this line of dialogue so bad the Scooby vibes are immaculate

FRED BODY SHIELDING VELMA SHUT THE HELL UP. IM !!!!

Seth’s plan is…not great

Scooby Doo is a police dog?? Ehhhhhh, idk bout that one. Also him being “retired” is interesting. I feel like it could have fit that Scooby was initially brought on to be a police dog (even tho I don’t think Great Danes are typically used) but he was too friendly/easily scared so then Sheriff Rogers brought him home to his son to be Shaggy’s companion. Maybe the backstory will end up being similar. The use of retired doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but hmmm

Ahhh, so the ghost was Miner ‘49er. Awesome!!!

13 pillars = 13 ghosts style episodic takedown of the pillars. I’m pumped🙏

I really like Thorn’s necklace and Dusk’s hair. Also LOVE that they’re performing “Hex Girl.”And Thorn’s guitar looks pretty cool.

Oof the way Fred clearly wanted to go after Daphne and had to be set straight by Velma. Damn. Guy just opened a hellmouth but he sees Daph upset and he’s about ready to drop everything else.

Fred w/a plan. ❤️💕

“ You used the name” CUTE 😂

“We’re gonna have to split up…” and BAM everyone in the episode got to say their catchphrase (expect for Scooby) even if Fred’s was just an approximation of his.

Really wish the Hex Girls had fangs 😔

Miner ‘49er does look pretty spooky, I will say, and the climax was done pretty neatly.

Shaggy making his sandwich. 👏 YES

The two posters in the scene with Velma’s mom answering the phone are a French poster for Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window and the 1949 film of The Great Gatsby. Not sure if there’s significance/what the significance is but thought I’d mention it in case anyone had any ideas.

Also the subtitles list Velma’s mom as “Angie,” which is her name in SDMI. I could definitely see them taken inspiration from that version of her, given it’s the most in-depth. It also seems they might have take some inspo already, what with both SDMI Angie and this version being interested in/having past experience with the occult and running a business in which the occult is featured.

The voice of Vincent Van Ghoul!!! I’m SCREAMING. I’m actually begging them to let him be the Giles of this Scooby gang.

High Priestess Van Ghoul?? Seems like the Hex Girls are going to be allies in this but we’ll see. Glad they’re letting all of them practice a little witchcraft tho. That’s cool. Ahh and they’re keeping them in their necklaces. Also very cool.

THE BLACK KNIGHT

Really like the end credits song. It sounds great!

Okay, all the parents’ names (as they’re listed in the credits) so far are the same as they are in SDMI except Fred’s parents who were *sob* Peggy (not listed as “Peg”) and Skip. Also?? Shaggy’s dad is listed as Sheriff *Samuel* Rogers. But Daphne’s mom is listed as Nan and Velma’s mom is listed as Angie.

Other Thoughts:

I’m pleasantly surprised that this show is utilizing a lot of the rich lore Scooby Doo has surrounding the supernatural. They’re really rooting themselves in 13 Ghosts and Witch’s Ghost, etc. rather than just inventing new mythos. They’re not wasting the mythos Scooby Doo already has available. It’s really amazing and well-done so far!

I thought this episode was overall super enjoyable. It was unpolished in parts and rougher at the beginning than the end and I can see how it might go off the rails but overall it seems VERY promising and it definitely feels more Scooby Doo-like than I ever expected which is wonderful!!

I think the main actors seem like they’ve got it down. Elza and Hutton as Fred and Velma respectively really shined this episode, which makes sense as I feel they have the most to work with at this point (and the fact that they’re were the only two who were working together). It really gives me hope for how the rest of the cast might interact because you could really feel both the character and actor chemistry between Elza and Hutton. I’m so excited!!!

I really hope the rest of the gang gets involved in the hijinks soon (especially Shaggy as his story seemed the most separate). Chris Villain as Shaggy was solid. I thought he had some good physical moments (like banging his head against the locker) though I will say I didn’t feel like we saw much of Shaggy yet. It makes sense that him and Daphne were a little less themselves since I think the show will go on to highlight the Gang opening themselves up and only really dropping the masks (no pun intended) around each other so I’ll wait before casting further judgement.

It seems Daphne (played by Jessica Chancellor) will be having a pretty extensive character arc as she breaks away from her current clique and expectations to join up with the Gang (yay!).

The wardrobe for the Gang all felt really great. The effects were good. The sets were detailed and appropriate. Overall felt pretty solid for a pilot.

BIG BIG GREAT JOB TO EVERYONE INVOLVED

EDIT (after I forced my whole family to watch 😂):

My mom was saying the dealer selling Joy Juice wearing a yellow hoodie was probably a reference to Flim Flam’s classic look (can’t believe I didn’t catch ​that!!!)